Sewing-machine.



W. W. GAMIVIONS.

SEWING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.21.191s.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

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W. W. GAMMONS.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2I.19I5.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

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SEEVING-lVLACI-KINE.

Application filed September 21, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it lillOWll that 1, WILLIAM W. GAM- MONS, citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Jersey City, county of Hudson, in the State of New tlersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates generally to sewing machines and has for its principal object to provide a machine for sewing two pieces of fabric together along an over-edge joint. For the purposes of this application there has been illustrated the application of the improved devices to a hat sewing machine in which the invention will find a wide range of usefulness, although it is to be understood that the improvements are not to be limited to hat sewing machines but may be embodied in machines for sewing fabrics with over-edge oints for other uses. The invention seeks to provide simple and effective means for feeding two pieces of fabric into position for sewing and for pressing the edges of the twopieces into alinement and maintaining them in juxtaposition during the introduction and withdrawal of the needle with the thread. More particularly it is sought to embody in a single machine a single feeding wheel for the two pieces of fabric to be sewn and unitary pressing devices for pressing the two pieces of fabric into intimate association with the feeding wheel. These pressing devices are unitary in the sense llhftl. they are carried on the same support but are relatively movable toward each. other so that pressure is exerted on the two nieces of fabric in opposite directions ther iy maintaining the inner faces of the fabric in snug engagement with the op posite sides of the feed wheel A further object of the invention resides 1n the provision of suitable adjustments for the elements referred to above, whereby the lateral position of the pressing devices with respect to the faces of the fabrics may be changed, the elevation of the pressing devices with respect to the edges of the fabric varied, and the elevation of the edge of the feed wheel with re spect to the edges of the fabrics and the pressing devices changed, all for the purpose of accommodating the machine to varying conditions of use, such as may be occasioned,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. it, 1W1? Serial No. 51,745.

for instance, by different thicknesses of the fabrics. Still another object of the invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means for accomplishing the stated purposes, which shall be of such character as to permit their ready application to sewing machines of known construction, without necessitating serious alterations of the latter or the reorganization of the usual elements. his last stated object will be most apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following description wherein is disclosed the application of the present improvements to a hat sewing machine of well known construction. In these drawings Figure l is a view in perspective of a hat sewing machine in which the improvements are embodied.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view on asomewhat larger scale, partly in section and partly in elevation, of so much of the machine shown in Fig. l as is necessary for an understanding of the invention, this figure showing, in addition, portions of a hat brim and the crown of a hat in position for sewing an over-edge joint.

3 is a detail view in plan of the improved pressing devices, showing particularly the relation thereof to the feed wheel, the supporting presser wheel being omitted in the interest of clearness.

Fig. f is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the pressing devices showing particularly the lateral and vertical adjustment provided therefor on the supporting presser arm.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are illustrative views showing a hat in various stages after the sewing of an overedge joint between the crown and the brim, Fig. 7 showing the completed hat after being pressed.

As noted her-einbefore the invention is not to be limited to its incorporation in a hat sewing machine,inasmuch as the sewing of over-edge joints by means of the improved devices will be desirable for uses of fabrics other than for hats, but it has been found convenient for the purposes of this application to illustrate a hat sewing ma chine of a well known type to which the improvements have been applied without substantial modification of the machine and from which, it is thought, the scope and usefulness of the invention will be readily appreciated.

lit)

The casing a of the machine has pivotally mounted thereon a swinging presser arm 6, the forward end of which is formed with a split bearing b to receive the short shaft 0 of the presser wheel 0, the position of which may be fixedly determined by a clamping screw Z2 which passes through the split bearing in the usual manner and permits the same to be set up on or loosened for the purpose of adjusting the angular position therein of the shaft 0 of the presser wheel. On the presser arm Z; there is mounted with the presser wheel 0 a needle block (Z having formed therein a needle-way cl to receive a horizontally reciprocating needle 0 to which motion may be imparted by the driving wheel f in a way with which the invention is not concerned. In the casing a is supported a vertical feed wheel 9 on a shaft 9 which may be swung up or down, in a manner now old in the art, to adjust the elevation of the edge of the vertically disposed feed wheel, for reasons which will later appear. The feed wheel 9 is serrated on. its opposite faces adjacent its periphery, as at and these serrated portions extend upward between the presser wheel 0 and the needle holder 0, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, and its uppermost tangential point lies about opposite the bottom of the needleway d, as usual. Extending over the edge of the feed wheel 9 and mounted slidably directly upon the needle block (Z is a presser plate it which, while of a very convenient form in the embodiment shown, may be of any approved character without departing from the spirit of the invention. The plate, as illustrated, rests directly upon the needle block (Z and is slotted, as at 72 to receive guide screws i which pass through the slot and enter the needle block. This slot and screw arrangement permits limited movement of the plate along the needle block. The inner end of the presser plate It is forked and the branches it extend over the edge of the feed wheel and support adjacent their outer ends and on their under sides a depending strip 70, preferably of somewhat yielding metal, which is so disposed as to engage the face of one of the fabrics to be sewn and hold the same in snug engagement against the feed wheel, as indicated in Fig.

2, and as will be described more particularly hereinafter in connection with the operation of the machine. The strip is, just referred to, is, at all events, held in yielding engagement with the face of the fabric by means of one or more springs Z which are connected operatively between the slidable presser :plate 71, and relatively fixed points,sucl1 as are secured by the attachment of these springsto the needle block (Z. As shown in the drawings, a simple and inexpensive construction 1s eflected by securing a flat strip m to the rear edge of the needle block (Z as by means of a screw m and engaging the ends of the springs Z to the overhanging ends of this strip m and the other ends of the springs to the branches k of theplate as by pins h The result sought, of course, is the retraction of the presser strip it" toward the edge of the presser wheel 0 and it will be evident to those skilled in the art that this result may be obtained in many other expedient ways. As it will be necessary for the operator, from time to time, to slide the presser plate 1 2, against the action of the springs Z, the plate has been formed at its rear edge with an upturned flange 7% to permit convenient actuation of the plate by pressure of the fingers thereon;

Another detail of construction, worthy of mention, resides in the provision of an opening it in the presser plate 71, which may be brought into alinement with the fastening screw orfor the needle block cl, whereby this screw may be withdrawn and the block removed from the presser wheel 0 with the presser plate h by a very simple manipulation, for replacement, repair or the like.

Thus far, the description has been devoted wholly to the structural features of the improved devices and from so much of the description as has been given, those skilled in the art will be instructed as to how to construct a machine which will accomplish the stated objects, regardless of the use to which the machine is to. be put. How

ever, a clearer understanding may perhaps be had by a description of the operation of the illustrated machine in connection with one concrete use, to wit, the sewing of over-edge joint-s between the crown and brim of a hat; In order to place the two pieces of fabric to be sewn in proper position in the machine, the presser arm Z) with the pressing devices may be swung upwardly and rearwardly away from the needle 6 and the feed wheel 5 with a combined horizontal and vertical D'lOVGDlClll; now well known in the hat sewing art. The needle e'is, at this time, in retracted position, so that its point is well to the rear of the feed wheel 9 and the operator can readily pass the brim 1, say

of a hat, between the needle and the rear face of the feed wheel and then place the crown 2, say, f the hat, turned inside out in engagement with the serrations on the front face of the feed wheel, meanwhile bringing the edges of the two pieces of fabric into approximate alinement with one another at the point through which the needle is to pass. Thepresser arm Dwith its associated elements may then be swung downward into its proper working relation with respect to the feed wheelin which position the presser wheel 0 is disposed within the crown of the hat and bears against the fabric of the crown 2 adjacent the edge of the latter so as to press'the fabric into feedingengagement with the serrations g on the front face of the feed wheel. In positioning the presser wheel 0 with its associated elements, the operator manipulates the presser plate it so as to swing the presser strip is on the forks if of the plate into engagement with the fabric of the brim 1 adjacent the edge to be sewn thereby forcing the fabric intofeeding engagement with the serrations on the face of the feed wheel. The pressure of the feed wheel 0 on the fabric of the crown is yielding by reason of the lateral pull impressed thereon through the action of the spring b on the presser arm I), in a manner well known, while the pressure of the pressing strip is on the fabric of the brim l is also yielding, either by reason of the character of the strip or through the operative engagement of the springs Z with the presser plate h. In this way, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the outer faces of the proximate strips of fabric are engaged yieldingly by the presser members which press the fabrics in opposite directions at the point of sewing against a single feed wheel which is disposed between the fabrics and has its upper edge relatively near the edges of the fabrics so that while the fabrics are fed forward uniformly for sewing, their juxtaposed edges are permitted to come into engagement with one another just over the edge of the feed wheel. This disposition of parts affords not only a steady feeding of the fabric, but also gives ample physical support therefor and enables the feed wheel to impart, with the cooperation of the yielding pressing devices, some little degree of stiff ness to the fabric at the point of sewing and thereby assist in the sewing operation proper. It is to be noted that such initial adjustments as may be necessary are made before the sewing is commenced, these adjustments depending upon varying conditions of use, such as may be occasioned by different thicknesses of fabrics to be sewn. These initial adjustments may be made by raising or lowering the feed wheel 9, or by raising or lowering the presser wheel 0 in the split bearing 6 or by pressing the periphery of the presser wheel 0 toward or away from the feed wheel 9 by changing the angular position of the supporting shaft 0 of the presser'wheel in the split bearing, it being evident from Fig. 2 that the presser wheel is mounted eccentrically on the shaft. While these adjustments have been enumerated in the alternative, it is quite evident that any two or all three of them may be made where necessary, the result of the vertical adjustments being to change the distance between the points of contact of the feed wheel and the pressing devices with the fabrics with respect to the edges thereof and the effect of the lateral adjustment of the presser wheel 0 being either to increase to some degree the amount of pressure on the fabrics or merely to compensate for different thicknesses of the fabric. The vertical adjustments are, of course, facilitated somewhat by the fact that the overhang- 1 ing once determined the position for sewing of the edges, the other elements may be adjusted with respect thereto as may be neccs sary. This guiding action of the arms ii. of the presser plate it may be facilitated to some extent by placing a separate guide member 7&5 on the under face of one of the branches and preferably on the feed side thereof, so that the fabric, as it moves forward to the point for sewing, abuts against this guide and has its position, with respect to the needle, determined to a great degree.

In sewing, the feed wheel g is rotated in proper relation to the reciprocations f the needle 0, while the usual looper 0 is caused to travel obliquely across the path of the needle for the purpose of taking up the loops, all in a manner well known. After the crown has been stitched to the brim throughout, the presser arm 3), with its associated elemcnts, is swung upward out of the way of the hat, the needle is retracted, and the hat is removed from the machine in much the condition indicated in 5. The crown is then turned insideout again, so as to bring it into proper relation with the brim, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby bringing the edges into association along what is termed an over-edge joint. No matter what the joint, however, the final appearance of the hat will be sightly after the usual ironing and blocking operations, as appears from Fig. 7. Again, the joint may conveniently fall under the usual hat band or the sweat band so as not to be visible from the outside or .in side when the hat is in use.

Throughout this specification, it has been sought to indicate the structural modifications and rearrangements which this invention includes in its spirit, and it therefore seems unnecessary to make further reference to such permissible departures particularly as the scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I

1. In a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an overedge joint, a presser wheel, a needle and a single feed wheel serrated on opposite faces for engagement with both pieces of fabric and disposed therebetween.

2. In a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, a needle, a single feed wheel serrated on opposite faces for engagement with both pieces of fabric and disposed therebetween, and

means for pressing the fabrics into feeding engagement with opposite faces of the feed wheel, respectively.

3. In a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, a needle, a single feed wheel for both pieces of fabric disposed therebetween and means for pressing the fabrics into feeding engagement with opposite faces of the feed wheel respectively, comprising a presser wheel, a presser plate mounted with the presser wheel and means to draw the plate toward the. presser wheel, the wheel engaging one fabric 3 and thepresser plate engaging the other fabric.

I. In a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, a needle, a single feed wheel for both pieces of fabric disposed therebetwcen, means for pressing the fabrics into feeding engagement with opposite faces of the feed wheel respectively, comprising a presser wheel to engage one fabric, a presser plate mounted on the presser wheel to engage the other fabric and a spring to draw theplate yieldingly toward the presser wheel, and means to maintain the presser wheel in yielding engagement with the fabric.

5. In a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, a presser wheel, a needle, a single vertically disposed feed wheel for both pieces of fabric disposed therebetween, serrations on opposite faces of the feed wheel adjacent its periphery to engage the fabrics and means to adjust the wheel vertically with respect to the juxtaposed edges of the fabrics.

6. In a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, a presser wheel, a needle block thereon provided with a needle way, a reciprocating needle, a presser plate carried on the needle block, a slot and screw engagement between the presser plate and the block to permit limited relative sliding movement between the plate and the block, and means to draw the plate toward the wheel, the two fabrics being engaged respectively by the presser wheel and the presser plate and having their edges forced together thereby.

7. In 'a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, a presser wheel, a presser plate carried with Copies of this patent may be obtained for engagement by the presser wheel and the presser plate respectively.

8. In a sewing machinefor sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge oint, a

vertically disposed feed wheel, a horizontally reciprocating needle mounted above the feed wheel, a swinging presser arm, a horizontal presser wheel carried on the arm to press one fabric against one face of the feed wheel, a presser plate carried with the presser wheel and engaging the other fabric to press it against the other face of the feed wheel, and a spring to draw the presser plate toward the presser wheel.

9. In a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, a single feed wheel, a swinging presser arm, a presser wheel carried thereon to press one fabric against the'feed wheel, a needle block carried with the presser wheel and provided with a needle-way, and a presser plate slidablj mounted on the needle block engaging the other fabric to press it against the feed wheel, the presser wheel, needle block and presser plate" all being movable together away from the fabrics with the swinging presser arm.

10. In a sewing machine-for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, an adjustable presser wheel, a needle and a single adjustable feed wheel for both pieces of fabric disposed therebetween.

11. In a sewing machine for sewing two pieces of fabric with an over-edge joint, a presser wheel, a shaft on which the wheelis eccentrically mounted, a bearing for the shaft, means'to permit the vertical and V wrLLIA w. GAMMONS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. r 

